Word
degeneration
Phoneticsde·gen·er·a·tion, stress on the fourth syllable
US/dɪˌdʒɛnɝˈeɪʃən/
UK/dɪdʒˌɛnəɹˈeɪʃən/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the process of something getting worse or weaker over time. It often describes a part of the body or a part of society that is losing its health or quality.
n. the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of function, structure, or quality. Often refers to the deterioration of tissues in a medical context or the decline of moral standards in a social context.
Examples
“The doctor explained the degeneration of the patient's knee joint.”
“Urban planners are working to reverse the economic degeneration of the downtown district through new investment.”
“While the physical degeneration of the manuscript made some passages illegible, the core of the author's argument remained clear enough for scholars to reconstruct the original thesis.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor explained the degeneration of the patient's knee joint.”
contextual
“Urban planners are working to reverse the economic degeneration of the downtown district through new investment.”
complex
“While the physical degeneration of the manuscript made some passages illegible, the core of the author's argument remained clear enough for scholars to reconstruct the original thesis.”
Usage
Uncountable in its abstract or general sense; can be countable when referring to specific medical instances or types of decline.
Real-World Examples
“Photoreceptor degeneration is behind several major causes of blindness, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).” “Published in Nature Communications , the findings suggest that a DNA repair mechanism may allow Greenland sharks to preserve their eyesight for centuries without showing signs of retinal degeneration.” Etymology
From French dégénération, from Latin dēgenerātiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/degeneration